Chavez, Camacho Look Sharp in Tuneups

Julio Cesar Chavez and Hector Camacho scored easy victories Saturday night in Las Vegas to set up their showdown on Sept. 12.

Chavez (81-0) successfully defended his World Boxing Council super-lightweight title with a fourth-round technical knockout over Frankie Mitchell of Philadelphia. Referee Mills Lane stopped the bout with 56 seconds remaining in the fourth round.

Mitchell fell to 29-2 with 13 knockouts.

Camacho (41-1) took care of his end of the deal by stopping Eddie Van Kirk at 1:03 of the fourth round of a scheduled 10-round welterweight fight.

In another bout that was expected to be one-sided, Thomas Tate pushed defending WBC middleweight champion Julian Jackson of the Virgin Islands the distance before Jackson won a unanimous 12-round decision.

It was the first time Jackson, the 15-1 favorite, had to go the distance in four defenses since he won the vacant title by knocking out Herol Graham in November 1990.

Camacho used a left hand to floor Van Kirk, of Baltimore. Referee Joe Cortez did not have to complete the 10-count.

“Now that all the attention is on me again, it gives me the motivation I was lacking,” said Camacho, who hadn’t fought since May 18, 1991. “Chavez, the fight is on. Chavez, the fight is on,” Camacho screamed.